Internet web sites display many different types of information to Internet users. Depending on the nature of the web site, users may be provided with news or sports headlines, weather updates, product information and pricing, opinions on general interest topics, and detailed discussions pertaining to special interest groups. Virtually every conceivable topic of interest has at least one web site dedicated to the topic. Furthermore, web sites more and more display numerous advertising banners and associated links.
Just as there is a variety of Internet users, there is a corresponding variety in sites on the Internet. People accessing the Internet vary widely in age, occupation, income, education, culture and interests. Advertising material promoted on a web site may be of little interest or relevance to the user. The result is that the user ignores the advertising or may even be sufficiently perturbed by its content to avoid future visits to the site. The content provided may even be offensive to certain people accessing a particular site.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system that overcomes at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.